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Image processing apparatus capable of processing image embedded with digital watermark, method for controlling the image processing apparatus, and storage medium storing program to execute the method

a technology of image processing apparatus and image embedded with digital watermark, which is applied in the direction of program control, testing/monitoring control system, instruments, etc., can solve the problems of inability to detect falsification, paper documents are easily falsified, and electronic data is determined to be unauthorized

Inactive Publication Date: 2009-12-15
CANON KK
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is an image processing apparatus that can generate feature values for images of multiple pages in a document image. It can also generate a unique identification number for the document image and track the total number of pages. This invention allows for easier processing and management of document images.

Problems solved by technology

If electronic data including a specific image does not have a copyright notice mark in the predetermined area, the electronic data is determined to be unauthorized.
However, even if a paper document including a plurality of pages is created by embedding a feature value of each page in the page by using the feature value embedding technique, the paper document can be easily falsified and the falsification cannot be detected.
For example, if someone discards one of the pages of the paper document, the fact that the page has been discarded may not be established.
Also, if someone creates a page and adds it to the paper document or replaces a page in the document with the created page, the fact that the page has been added or replaced may not be established.
That is, in this feature value embedding technique, the originality of each page can be proved, but the originality of the entire paper document including a plurality of pages cannot be proved.
Furthermore, even if a paper document including a plurality of pages is created by embedding watermarks in the respective pages by using the technique described in Patent Document 2, this watermark embedded paper document can be easily falsified and the falsification cannot be detected.
For example, if someone rewrites an area that is not embedded with a watermark, the fact of the rewrite cannot be established.
Also, if a document is created by embedding a copyright mark in each page by using the technique described in Patent Document 1, this document can be easily falsified and the falsification cannot be detected.
For example, if someone rewrites an area outside a specific image and the copyright mark, the fact of the rewrite cannot be established.

Method used

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  • Image processing apparatus capable of processing image embedded with digital watermark, method for controlling the image processing apparatus, and storage medium storing program to execute the method
  • Image processing apparatus capable of processing image embedded with digital watermark, method for controlling the image processing apparatus, and storage medium storing program to execute the method
  • Image processing apparatus capable of processing image embedded with digital watermark, method for controlling the image processing apparatus, and storage medium storing program to execute the method

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
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first exemplary embodiment

[0047]Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings.

[0048]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this system, a host computer 40 and three image forming apparatuses 10, 20, and 30 are connected to a LAN (local area network) 50. The LAN is used for connection in this embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to use of the LAN. For example, another type of network including a WAN (wide area network), a serial transmission method including a USB (universal serial bus), and a parallel transmission method including Centronics and SCSI (small computer system interface), can also be applied.

[0049]The host computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC (personal computer)) 40 has a function of a PC. The PC 40 is capable of transmitting / receiving files and e-mails through the LAN 50 or the WAN by using an FTP (fine transfer protocol) or SMB (server m...

second exemplary embodiment

[0143]In a second embodiment, an originality-guaranteed output is generated by allowing embedded image data to include not only a feature value but also other various information. The detecting apparatus performs various forms of determining process and output process on a read document on the basis of the various information. The various forms of determining process include the originality determining process described above in the first embodiment.

[0144]The flowchart shown in FIG. 7 shows the process of generating an originality-guaranteed output. The respective steps of the flowchart shown in FIG. 7 have been described above except step S708. Hereinafter, details of step S708 are described.

708>

[0145]The block diagram shown in FIG. 10 shows the details of step S708 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 10, processing units include a feature value generating unit 1001, a feature value storing unit 1002, an embedded data generating unit 1003, an embedded image...

third exemplary embodiment

[0196]In the above-described first and second embodiments, a feature value of a selected page is embedded in another page so as to generate an originality-guaranteed output.

[0197]However, the present invention is not limited to this method. For example, a feature value of a selected page may be embedded in the selected page (same page) so as to generate an originality-guaranteed output. However, when an originality-guaranteed output is to be generated by embedding the feature value in the same page, a document ID and a total number of pages need to be embedded in the selected page, in addition to the feature value of the selected page. Hereinafter, reasons for embedding those pieces of information in the selected page are described.

[0198]For example, assume a case where someone picks a page out of a document including a plurality of pages in which a total number of pages is not embedded. If a person receives the document after the page has been picked, he / she cannot know the total n...

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PUM

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Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a feature value generating unit configured to generate feature values of images of respective pages of a document image including a plurality of pages, and an identification number generating unit configured to generate an identification number unique to the document image. The apparatus further includes an embedding unit configured to embed the feature values of the images of the respective pages generated by the feature value generating unit, the unique identification number generated by the identification number generating unit, and a total number of pages of the document image in the images of the respective pages.

Description

[0001]The present application is related to U.S. Pat. No. 7,379,214, issued on May 27, 2008 entitled “IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF PROCESSING IMAGE EMBEDDED WITH DIGITAL WATERMARK, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM TO EXECUTE THE METHOD” (see also U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 567,861 filed on Dec. 7, 2006).BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for adding information to detect falsification to document image data, a program executing the image processing method, and a medium storing the program.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Nowadays, information security techniques to protect electronic data have been developed and applied on a daily basis.[0006]For example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-051932), a technique of detecting abuse of a copyrighted specific image (e...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): H04N1/40G06F7/04G06K15/00G06K9/00
CPCH04N1/32144H04N2201/0094H04N2201/3247H04N2201/3235H04N2201/3236H04N2201/3226
Inventor TAMURA, HIROKAZUMATSUMOTO, ATSUSHI
Owner CANON KK